The Cards We're Dealt
by alyssialui
Summary: Draco and Astoria are arranged to be married against their own will but they will try to make the most of it. One-shot.


_A/N: Draco and Astoria are arranged to be married. They had no choice in the matter but they will make the most of it. Read and Review. I do not own Harry Potter._

_Submission for:_

**The Classic Disney Movie Challenge!****: ****Sleeping Beauty**: Write about someone in an arranged marriage.

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He had found out about their arrangement a few months after his eighteenth birthday after the end of the war. Draco knew not to protest or complain and there would be no point. As purebloods, they hadn't been able to choose their future lifelong partner. There was no way out of it and had to accept whomever they were bonded to.

He had formally met his future wife when he was 20: Astoria Greengrass. She was the younger sister of Daphne Greengrass from his year at Hogwarts. He remembered the meeting perfectly. The adults deliberated business and politics with various papers strewn on the table in front of them. This was business deal not an exchange of love, he and Astoria the items up for bidding. They sat in his father's stuffy study with the curtains drawn. Draco could hardly make out Astoria's face in the dim light. He just hoped she wasn't ugly. They each sat near their parents and as far from each other as possible, seen but not heard. After a few hours, the documents were signed and Draco and Astoria were officially to be wed.

As encouraged by his mother, Draco would get to know his fiance. He took her out on their first date. The restaurant was called Amour and decorated in loud hearts and various shades of reds and pinks. Draco could have vomited from all the 'love' in this room, but Astoria seemed to enjoy it. After the dinner, he even took her for a carriage ride and they picked each others mind. She was a beautiful girl with a dazzling smile and a sharp mind. He smirked at her as she matched his wit line for line, but in a way that was almost endearing. He could see himself being with this girl.

Draco sat in his study in the manor and sipped on his whiskey. He had invited his two closest friends to the manor to tell them of his upcoming nuptials. They had already been married off by their parents and they welcomed him to the 'club' amidst sarcastic laughter and comments. They told him scary stories of what to expect and Draco could not be certain which were exaggerated or complete bull. He regarded them with a cool expression on his face to hide the nervousness he felt about his new life.

There was so much to do with regards to the wedding. There was so much to plan as every who was anyone would be in attendance. Wedding planners, invitations, musicians, caterers and other professionals flew through the manor in spades. Draco wanted nothing to do with the planning. He didn't know the first thing and he found the whole thing boring, difficult and unnecessary. But then Astoria would go off on him about his disinterest and lack of involvement in the proceedings. Why were they getting all these helpers if they still had to do the work? He would hide in different rooms at the manor to avoid her sharp tongue, but she always found him. There was always shouting. And something always ended up broken or destroyed in Draco's rage. Astoria would always storm out of the room, and nothing else would get done that day.

A month before the wedding date, Draco knew he had to get back into Astoria's good graces. He could not start his new life with this girl miserable as it would set the tone for the rest of the marriage. Draco had to mature and Draco had to change. So he invited her to dinner with him, in the same restaurant as their first date. She was hesitant at first as they had not been on speaking terms for awhile and she had been planning the wedding with his and her mother without his help. But she agreed to go: he was to be her husband and she couldn't say no.

It was here, amidst the reds and pinks and the overpowering jasmine fragrance that Draco got down on one knee. Draco pulled out a black velvet box and presented Astoria with a elegant platinum ring. There was one central emerald stone with three diamonds on each side decreasing in size. Small vines were engraved in the band. Astoria's heart melted. As it was an arranged marriage, there was no true engagement period and Astoria had accepted that she would go without one. She was definitely surprised and enamoured by his thoughtfulness and love. He slipped the ring on her finger and pulled her into a deep kiss. That night, Draco promised he would make this work for both of them.

Now, he stood at the front of a large ballroom looking down the aisle as she strode up the aisle with grace and purpose. The large white dress fanned around her waist and contrasted with deep purple roses of her bouquet . She held her head up stately as all eyes focused on her. When she was at his side, she gazed at him lovingly. Her lips were pink and plump as they spread in a wide, genuine smile. He gave her small smile back and took her hand. No matter the cards they were dealt, they would make the best of this situation.


End file.
